Missing Ohio women found alive

Police hold news conference Tuesday morning to announce more details about the case of the women found alive after they went missing in separate incidents about 10 years ago.

The news conference has concluded. Not much new information came, but here's what we learned.1. The 6-year-old girl taken out of house was confirmed as Amanda Berry's child. Police are still investigating who the father is. 2. Police were called to the house twice over the years, but there are no details on those circumstances.3. Child welfare workers were called once because the chief suspect, Ariel Castro, 52, a school bus driver, had left a child on a bus alone. 4. Police are investigating other properties in the Cleveland area connected to the suspects. 5. Police won't say if the women were used as sex slaves. They have yet to get into that line of questioning with the women. Right now the three women are in good health, although they appeared to need a good meal.

Star reporter Curtis Rush is live-blogging the news conference that will detail the events surrounding the three Ohio women who were found alive after disappearing about 10 years ago. Three men are in custody.

by Curtis Rush5/7/2013 12:19:10 PM

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Here's what we know. Police Chief Michael McGrath said he thinks Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight were tied up at the house and held there since they were in their teens or early 20s.

On a recorded 911 call Monday, Berry declared, “I'm Amanda Berry. I've been on the news for the last 10 years.”

by Curtis Rush5/7/2013 1:03:07 PM

Ariel Castro, 52, is the homeowner who is among those charged. Neighbours reported seeing him walk down the street with a child. There were two little girls rescued from the home, but the relationship to the victims or accused is unclear.

by Curtis Rush5/7/2013 1:05:59 PM

Press conference begins.

by Curtis Rush5/7/2013 1:06:51 PM

Mayor Frank Jackson says he is happy that Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michele Knight are home and safe. Many questions: How did they remain undetected for so long?

by Curtis Rush5/7/2013 1:08:23 PM

They are looking at previous complaints at the house. There are no records of violations in building codes. Police responded twice to that house. Once in 2000 and in 2004. More information to come on that.

by Curtis Rush5/7/2013 1:09:39 PM

Mayor Frank Jackson says this was "a traumatic experience" for the women. "We need to give them room in this."

by Curtis Rush5/7/2013 1:10:09 PM

Police received two calls. One from neighbour and one from Amanda Berry. Incident was created in communications centre and first police responded two minutes later. Six-year-old child belonged to one of the missing women.

by Curtis Rush5/7/2013 1:11:21 PM

Martin Flask, Cleveland's director of Public Safety, said there were no complaints made against that address. In March 2000, Ariel Castro reproted to police a fight in street. No record of arrest. In Jan. 2004, as result of investigation, child welfare workers knocked on door. That incident related to his employment as a school bus driver. He left a child on a bus. Probe concluded that there was no criminal intent.

by Curtis Rush5/7/2013 1:13:19 PM

Police Chief Michael McGrath says to find these three girls "just gives us a boost." Amanda had been missing since 2003. All the women had been missing about a decade. Gina DeJeus was last seen 2004, Michele Knight missing since 2002.

Steven Anthony, special agent from FBI: This was the "ultimate definition of survival." He says healing can begin.

by Curtis Rush5/7/2013 1:17:53 PM

Steven Anthony of FBI: "Yes, law enforcement professionals do cry."

by Curtis Rush5/7/2013 1:18:22 PM

Steven Anthony of FBI: Many questions. Every resource will be brought to this for this "horrific" case.

by Curtis Rush5/7/2013 1:18:54 PM

Steven Anthony of FBI says he won't speculate on the how and why until all the facts are in.

by Curtis Rush5/7/2013 1:19:15 PM

Steven Anthony of FBI calling on people to come forward as police track these events.

by Curtis Rush5/7/2013 1:19:52 PM

FBI's Steven Anthony: Dealing with "how can we speed the healing and recovery process."

by Curtis Rush5/7/2013 1:20:26 PM

Special team of child forensic examiners to arrive to help victims.

by Curtis Rush5/7/2013 1:20:54 PM

Questions now from media.

by Curtis Rush5/7/2013 1:21:02 PM

Is there any evidence that is part of a larger investigation?

by Curtis Rush5/7/2013 1:21:32 PM

This is not part of a larger investigation.

by Curtis Rush5/7/2013 1:21:45 PM

As of right now, no indication this is bigger than the neighbourhood.

by Curtis Rush5/7/2013 1:22:06 PM

Were they sex slaves? That hasn't been determined yet.

by Curtis Rush5/7/2013 1:22:20 PM

Here's Charles Ramsey, the neighbour talking to reporters after he heard screaming from a woman trying to get out of a house in Cleveland.

by Curtis Rush5/7/2013 1:22:39 PM

Asking about Ariel Castro leaving child on a bus. Castro wasn't questioned about this. Police Chief McGrath says he was interviewed and he inadvertently left child on bus. "Our policies are solid," he said, but "we're constantly looking at our policies to improve them."

by Curtis Rush5/7/2013 1:24:08 PM

Every single lead was followed up, McGrath says.

by Curtis Rush5/7/2013 1:24:20 PM

Chief McGrath: "The real hero here is Amanda. She's the one who got this rolling."

by Curtis Rush5/7/2013 1:24:45 PM

There are other properties that police are interested in.

by Curtis Rush5/7/2013 1:25:09 PM

Only people in house are evidence recovery team. No idea what condition the house is in.

by Curtis Rush5/7/2013 1:25:35 PM

Police chief says the child in the house is Amanda's daughter. They won't answer who is the father. That is under investigation.

by Curtis Rush5/7/2013 1:26:20 PM

Police chief says police spoke with mother of suspect. Police interviewed all family members. He won't release content of those interviews.

by Curtis Rush5/7/2013 1:27:24 PM

Police chief doesn't know if the child was ever out of the home. The scene at the hospital was "chaotic" and "we didn't get into the deep, deep line of questioning."

by Curtis Rush5/7/2013 1:28:01 PM

Police chief asked about door locks. "Amanda broke out the bottom of the door to get out. Obviously , the door was secure."

by Curtis Rush5/7/2013 1:28:47 PM

Nothing was provided to city of Cleveland by neighbours regarding activity of suspects.

by Curtis Rush5/7/2013 1:29:28 PM

I am not a medical person, but they seemed to be in pretty good health, police chief says, other than they needed a good meal.

by Curtis Rush5/7/2013 1:30:01 PM

Michele Knight spoke to police but they won't reveal much. "We believe we've got three suspects. We believe we've got the people responsible for this."

by Curtis Rush5/7/2013 1:30:47 PM

Police chief says policy is they are mandated to charge within 36 hours of an arrest and "we will."

by Curtis Rush5/7/2013 1:31:20 PM

Police chief says three suspects haven't been interviewed yet. "Three young ladies are going to lead us down this path."

by Curtis Rush5/7/2013 1:31:54 PM

Amanda came out of the house "and started it all," police chief says.

by Curtis Rush5/7/2013 1:32:14 PM

FBI agent says tips were coming in, some years more than others. He can't quantify the tips. He says they review them regularly. "Any investigation like this there is an ebb and flow."

by Curtis Rush5/7/2013 1:33:25 PM

Ariel Castro lived there. Other two had different addressed in Cleveland.

by Curtis Rush5/7/2013 1:34:08 PM

Police chief says no evidence that as a bus driver, Ariel Castro, drove the girls to school when they were younger. This will come from the women.

by Curtis Rush5/7/2013 1:34:42 PM

Michele Knight was the focus of a "very few" tips. Most of the media attention geared toward the others.

by Curtis Rush5/7/2013 1:35:10 PM

Michele Knight last seen 2002 when she was 20. She is now 32. Missing report made the following day.

by Curtis Rush5/7/2013 1:35:42 PM

Brothers in the house. Were they married? Don't know.

by Curtis Rush5/7/2013 1:35:58 PM

Where were women found in house? They came out of the house once police got into the residence. Amanda got out of the house first. She broke out of door and crawled out. They came out of the house on their own.

by Curtis Rush5/7/2013 1:37:00 PM

What does this say about hiding in plain sight? Police chief says he's a lifelong city resident. "It's a partnership between a community and law enforcement. We're going to see if the community did miss something." It's an education. Police say there has to be a balance with privacy.